Home for the Holidays
by HarpinRed
Summary: The war is over and Ginny reflects on her family - including Harry - on her way home for the Christmas Holidays. Humor me and think of this as a really early Christmas fic. :D
1. The Way Home

1  
  
2 Home for the Holidays  
  
  
  
I know, I swore that I would never put my thoughts down on paper again. However, after purchasing and safe-charming a Muggle journal, I can no longer contain my thoughts. The events of the past six months have been extraordinary.  
  
GW  
  
Friday, December 22  
  
I'm on my way home.  
  
Home – such a simple word with so much meaning.  
  
This will be the first Christmas that I've spent at home in three years. Like the child I was when I first left for Hogwarts, I can hardly contain my excitement. The whole family will be there – Harry, Hermione, Sirius and Remus included. Every one of them is so very precious to me, and I find myself even looking forward to the twins' pranks.  
  
It seemed almost unfair and not a little bit surreal that I should have to go back to Hogwarts to complete my final year, while Ron, Harry and Hermione started their lives as adults after the war. We had all been forced into adulthood by circumstance long ago.  
  
The war is finally over. It still seems so strange and wonderful to be able to write that. Voldemort (no longer he who must not be named) has been dead for almost six months. Since that time, his remaining followers have been hunted and sent to Azkaban after trial.  
  
My former potions professor of whom I used to go in fear of is now heading off the capture of the rest of the Death Eaters still on the run. Severus Snape has managed to surprise all of us with his bravery and loyalty to the Order of the Phoenix. I suspect that Headmaster Dumbledore Headmistress McGonagall and Professor Ryland are the only ones to truly comprehend Snape. Now that Sophia Ryland has accepted Severus's proposal of marriage, we'll once again have a Professor Snape at Hogwarts. Now that has been an interesting courtship! It has been almost as interesting as watching Ron and Hermione.  
  
It's quite intriguing to watch Snape around Professor Ryland. It's almost like he's terrified and enthralled by her at the same time. This seems to amuse the Professor to no end, but I do think they are well matched. Seeing my former nasty potions teacher happy, healthy and well-groomed a few weeks ago was quite a surprise. I can almost, but not quite, see the attraction.  
  
Thinking of them once again reminds me of Ron and Hermione. I am so proud of both of them! Ron has done amazingly well as a tactical coordinator at the Department of Mysteries. I always knew that his skill for chess would be useful somehow. Dad inadvertently started his career path by vaguely outlining a situation in a letter to Ron. Ron made a few suggestions in a reply letter and dad was able to implement Ron's ideas. Almost nine months later, Ron was not only a full time – respectably paid - employee, but he has two people working under him. Hermione is practically beside herself with pride.  
  
Hermione herself is doing very well. I always knew that she could pretty much do anything she set her mind to, and interestingly enough, she has chosen Curse and Charm breaking as a career. She is also working for the Ministry but is on loan to Gringotts, as they needed her talents more due to the damage that the bank had suffered during the war. Bill has been able to take her under his wing as an intern, now that he is once again working in London. We all tease her that she just wanted to be able to work with the most dashing of the Weasley men. This annoys Ron to no end, of course, and so he ends up getting harassed over it whenever the subject comes up.  
  
It is good to see the two of them together though. It's sometimes hard to relate the steady, comfortably loving pair to the sniping, argumentative couple they were not two years before. Oh, they still get into some brilliant rows on occasion, but generally, they get along very well. Mum has even started to hint that she'd love to have another daughter officially join the family. As Hermione is practically living at Ron's flat in London, I don't imagine that it will be long before she gets that wish.  
  
Percy is also doing well with the ministry and is as proud as can be about his new daughter, Imogen. He and Penelope were worried when they found out she was pregnant, as no one in the wizarding world felt safe from Voldemort or his forces. Imogen, however, was one of the first children born in peacetime. Mum was over the moon about her, of course, and Penelope has reached virtual sainthood as not only the first of her new daughters-in- law, but also the mother of her first grandchild.  
  
Charlie was also married. To all of our sorrow, Samantha was killed eight months ago while she and the rest of the dragon riders were involved in an attack on one of Voldemorts' strongholds. He is still devastated by her death, and I do everything that I can to help him through this but Mum has told me that the best thing to heal his heart will be time. I miss Sam.  
  
The twins, well… They've opened their joke shop and in the past six months have been able to tell all of their nay-sayers 'I told you so' several times over. The F&G Joke and Sweet Shop has been a runaway hit in Hogsmeade. Both Fred and George put in an amazing amount of research and planning on the shop before they got it off the ground, and all of their hard work has definitely paid off. Fred and Angelina have started to look for a small place for themselves – and George. I have doubts that George will ever marry. He's much too fickle, my George.  
  
Remus and Sirius are also doing very well. With Peter Pettigrew in custody, Sirius's name was finally cleared. He was able to access his family vault at Gringotts, which enabled him to purchase a nice house outside of Edinburgh. Both he and Remus were able to give Harry his first real home. It is obvious that the two men love Harry very much, and I notice a sense of contentment in Harry's letters to me now that was not there before. Remus once again started teaching DADA at Hogwarts this year and is again, the most popular teacher there. I am having to get used to referring to him as Professor again as he insisted that I start calling him by his given name several years ago.  
  
Sirius is assisting Severus Snape with the capture of the remaining Death Eaters, and a more unlikely pair, you're not liable to find. They seemed to have buried the proverbial hatchet, though, according to dad, and work well together.  
  
Seeing Remus and Sirius together always makes me smile. It took me a while to realize that their love for each other went beyond the conventional, but to be perfectly honest, they couldn't be better suited for each other. After all that they have been through, it is wonderful to see them happy together.  
  
And Harry…  
  
All things considered, Harry has triumphed in many different ways. He was pivotal in the defeat of Voldemort, and I truly think that being so closely involved in that defeat helped to heal him more than anything else could have. He has not started to pursue a career yet but rather, has been content to take a break and spend time in his new home. He's invited me to visit this summer along with Ron and Hermione, and I am looking forward to the visit.  
  
Truth be told, I am sounding so very casual and blasé about this when my heart is thumping wildly at the thought of seeing him again. After seven years of being hopelessly in love with Harry, I had finally given up. I came to the conclusion that he would never see me as a pretty and interesting girl but rather just Ginny, the little sister of his best friend. I went through the beginning of my 6th year with a resigned heart and a falsely cheerful smile. The funny thing is that as I started to accept my fate, I began to realize how many good friends I had at Hogwarts. I stopped following Ron, Hermione and Harry around and to my surprise, found that people enjoyed my company. I was no longer the little sister. I was – am - Ginny Weasley. In giving up my dreams about Harry, I found myself. It was quite amazing, really.  
  
Everything was going as well as could be expected during a war. Headmaster Dumbledore himself was teaching our Defense Against the Dark Arts and we learned as quickly as we could so that we might have a chance against a Death Eater attack. The June heat was just beginning when Voldemort and his forces attacked the school. We knew, somehow, that this was it. We would either defeat the dark lord or die trying.  
  
I was ushering younger students down to the dungeons and relative safety when Harry found me. I remember that he was practically glowing with determination, and the realization that I might never see him again, ripped away the tranquil mask I had worn in the past months.  
  
I still loved him.  
  
Desperately.  
  
I was unable to stop the tears, which flowed down my face, as I cupped his cheek in my hand and told him to be careful. To my surprise he took my face between his hands and kissed me so sweetly, I thought I was dreaming. I was stunned. Harry had given me my first kiss after all. His words to me after were even more surprising as he confessed in a steady voice that he loved me. He had loved me for some time and probably always would. In a complete daze, I watched him walk away from me.  
  
Because of everything that happened after that, I haven't been alone with him since. I wanted to tell him how much I loved him in my letters to him, but it just didn't seem right. I want him in front of me when I finally tell him what he has known for years. I want to look into his eyes as he tells me again that he loves me so that I can be assured it wasn't all a dream.  
  
So here I sit, on the Hogwarts Express. Wondering who will be waiting for me at Platform 9 ¾ when my train arrives.  
  
*********  
  
The shrill whistle of the train brought Ginny out of her thoughts, and she looked up abruptly and saw that the train was pulling into the station. Her heart pounded madly as she gathered her things and walked towards the exit. Stepping down onto the platform, she bit her lip as she looked around, not recognizing anybody. She yelped when a hand gently squeezed her shoulder, and she spun around to face beloved green eyes and dark messy hair.  
  
"Hello, Ginny."  
  
She felt tears prick her eyes as she looked up at him.  
  
"Harry," she whispered.  
  
He leaned forward and wrapped his arms around her and she sank into him and held on tightly.  
  
She was home.  
  
To be continued  
  
Monique 


	2. Meeting Her at the Train

AN – Many thanks go to Anne and Imogen for all their wonderful beta help.  
  
This little bit of sappy fluff is dedicated to Bela because she asked so nicely and waited so patiently.  
  
MEETING HER AT THE TRAIN  
  
  
  
Harry Potter stood at platform 9 ¾ and waited for the Hogwarts Express to arrive. He ran a hand though his already messy black hair and noticed that it was shaking. He stuffed both hands into his pockets and tried to relax.  
  
"It's just Ginny," he thought to himself and then promptly snorted at his own thought. Just Ginny indeed.  
  
He had volunteered to pick her up, as the rest of the Weasley's were dashing to and fro, getting ready for the Christmas holiday. The whole family would be there, and that included Harry. He felt warmed by that fact whenever he thought about it. He had a family that loved him just as much as he loved them. It was something he swore he'd never take for granted.  
  
He thought of Ginny again and took a deep breath. She had loved him from the start, and for years, he hadn't known what to do about it. It wasn't until last year that he had realized that he loved her back, and he still wondered how it had happened. It wasn't as if she had followed him around anymore. She had developed her own group of friends, and he had hardly seen anything of her last year. Watching her from a distance had made him realize that he missed her. He'd been so used to always having her near him with her determinedly cheerful manner and impish sense of humor. When she had pulled back from Ron, Hermione and him to be with her own circle of friends, it had forced him to acknowledge how much her friendship and love had meant to him.  
  
Seeing her from a distance had also made him really look at her and he had come to notice how very pretty she was. She had always been well-liked by the other students, but last year, she had seemed to come into her own. Gone was the awkward, shy girl that he had fondly associated her with, and in her place was a calm, self-confident person, that he had hardly recognized. The times that he had spent with her had left him bemused. He was aware of the strange looks that Ron had sent him but, Harry had had his hands full trying to deal with the emotions churning inside of him whenever he had been near her.  
  
Ron had finally cornered him about it, and Harry had been sure that he would get a warning to leave his sister alone. He had been shocked though, when Ron had demanded to know if Harry was ever going to tell Ginny how he felt about her. Harry had stared at him dumbfounded. Ron had flushed and crossed his arms.  
  
"I recognize the symptoms, Harry."  
  
Harry grinned every time he thought about that day. Ron and Hermione had danced around their feelings for each other for over five years. In their sixth year at Hogwarts, they had entertained practically the whole school with their passionate rows. Everything had changed one night in March though, when they had been forced to serve a particularly nasty detention together in the dungeon with Professor Snape. The next morning at breakfast had found them silent and oddly awkward around each other, and it had reminded Harry of how the two had acted after the Yule Ball in their fourth year. Harry knew that something was different though, and had his suspicions confirmed when he had found the pair snogging in the common room late one night a few weeks later. Harry had gone down to drag Ron up to bed. He had known that Ron had left a complicated potions assignment until the last minute and that Hermione, after the standard lecture, had been helping him with it. What he hadn't expected was to find his two best friends wrapped around each other on the sofa. It had been quite an illuminating evening.  
  
Harry had still been hesitant about approaching Ginny though. For one thing, she had been hard to catch alone. Ron continued to give him a hard time about it though, and Harry had finally decided to ask her to the last weekend at Hogsmeade. Harry had been both annoyed and amused at Ron for his persistence. Ever since he and Hermione had come to terms, Ron seemed to think that everybody else should be just as happy as they were. He'd never got the chance to ask her to Hogsmeade though. Voldemort had attacked the school, and somehow, Harry had known that this battle would be their last stand against each other.  
  
An odd sense of calm had come over him, and he had known that he would do whatever necessary to defeat the Dark Lord. He had been on his way to the battle when he spotted Ginny on the stairs. She had been calmly ushering students to the dungeons, and he hadn't hesitated. He had walked right up to her and told her how he felt. He knew he had stunned her with his confession and the kiss he had stolen from her right after, but he hadn't known if he would ever see her again. It had just seemed like the right thing to do.  
  
Now, here he stood at the train station, and he had no idea how Ginny would act around him. Would she be embarrassed by his outburst? Maybe she hadn't wanted him to kiss her. Maybe she had decided she didn't love him anymore. Until that day, he had never given her any indication that he returned her feelings, and he felt like a complete idiot for it.  
  
The whistle of the train drew him from his memories with a start. Harry swallowed with some difficulty and then took a deep breath. He watched as a small number of students quickly got off the train, and then he spotted a girl with bright red hair stepping off the train. She looked around uncertainly, and Harry felt his heart kick into overdrive. He walked up behind her and gently squeezed her shoulder.  
  
"Hi, Ginny."  
  
She whirled around, and his breath caught at the sight of her. God, she was beautiful. How had he not seen that? He watched as her eyes filled with tears and felt her hand softly brush his face.  
  
"Harry," she whispered in a choked voice.  
  
He was lost. He wrapped his arms around her and held her to him as tightly as he could, rocking her back and fourth. This was right. Holding her was more wonderful than anything else, and he never wanted to let her go.  
  
A long time later, she drew back and smiled at him.  
  
"I missed you, Harry," she whispered in a shy voice.  
  
Harry gently brushed a tear off of her cheek with his thumb. "I missed you too."  
  
He winced at his own words, wishing he could have said something more clever than that. She didn't seem to mind though as she grinned at him brilliantly and hugged him again.  
  
"Shall we go then?" Ginny asked.  
  
Harry felt himself nodding at her. "Okay, let me get your trunk."  
  
He turned and collected her trunk and then lead her to where he had parked the car. They were halfway there when Harry stopped suddenly and turned to look at her.  
  
"I meant what I said, Ginny." He said in a quiet voice.  
  
She stopped, seemed to take a deep breath, and then turned to him.  
  
"Tell me again." Her voice was tremulous, but she held his gaze steadily.  
  
Harry put down her trunk and closed the gap between them. He gently brushed a wild strand of hair out of her face and then ran his thumb over her lower lip. He felt her quiver at his touch, and it gave him the courage he needed.  
  
"I love you, Ginny." His voice was soft but clear.  
  
She didn't say anything for a moment, but her chest rose and fell rapidly as she seemed to try to catch her breath. She stood up on tiptoe and brushed her mouth over his in a soft kiss.  
  
"I love you too, Harry." She grinned and then burst out laughing.  
  
"Do you know how long I've wanted to say that to your face?"  
  
Harry returned her grin but felt sorry for the time he had wasted. "Ginny, I should have..."  
  
She shook her head and put her hand on his mouth to stop his words. "No, this is right." She smiled at him sweetly. "It's our turn, Harry."  
  
He gathered her in his arms again and nodded against her shoulder. "You're right, Gin. It is our turn." He looked at her and felt a wave of euphoria wash over him. "And I, for one, say we should make the most of it. What do you think?" He was leaning towards her as he said this, and she caught his intent. Raising up towards him, she wound her arms around him and sighed when his lips met hers. The parking lot faded away as he kissed her, and he felt something unclench in the region of his heart.  
  
She was his.  
  
He was home.  
  
To Be Continued…SOON! 


	3. The SugarQuill Delux

A/N This chapter is dedicated to the ROXIN Headmistresses of the SugarQuill – Arabella and Zsenya. Thank you for providing such a nice, friendly and Weasley obsessed home for fans like me.  
  
Happy Birthday SugarQuill.net!  
  
Sugar Quill DeluxeÓ  
  
Hermione Granger shot a quick glance at the wrapped package in her hand and tried to stifle a grin. She had finished her Christmas shopping ages ago, but she had commissioned the twins to make something special for Ron and they had finally finished it, just in time for the holiday.  
  
It had taken her a long time to figure out what to get him. She had gotten him an assortment of other, practical gifts (he'd never have decent socks otherwise), but she wanted to give him something special. Seeing him sucking on a Sugar Quill one day had inspired her and she had gone immediately to the twins with her idea. She grinned as she remembered their reaction. They had loved it.  
  
She now had in her hands, a prototype of the Sugar Quill Deluxe. Not only did it have over fifty different flavors, but it was refillable and it also had ink in it so that you could write with it. Hermione hadn't been able to resist adding the last, practical feature. She vividly remembered the many times that Ron had pulled a Sugar Quill out of his bag in class and tried to write with it. As he now took Sugar Quills to work with him, she reckoned that he would appreciate this feature.  
  
The twins hadn't let her pay for her Quill as they were currently in negotiations with the makers of the original Sugar Quills and planned to market her idea as soon as legally possible. Hermione imagined that the Sugar Quill Deluxe would be the next in the whole, wildly successful line of products that the twins and made for the F&G Joke and Sweet Shop. Bless their entrepreneurial little souls.  
  
She caught sight of Ron though the kitchen window as she walked to the front door of the Borough and her heart gave a little flip of happiness. They'd both been so busy with work that they'd hardly had any time together lately. She saw him walk past the window again and watched him stalk out of sight with amused curiosity. Was he pacing? She stopped for a moment and watched the window. Sure enough, Ron walked quickly into view, turned on his heel and headed off in the direction he had just come from. He was running his hands though his hair and seemed to be talking to someone.  
  
Curiosity got the better of her and she pushed the front door open. Mrs. Weasley was sitting in her favorite chair by the fire knitting and she looked up with a smile as Hermione came though the door.  
  
"Oh, hello Dear"  
  
Hermione returned her smile and went over to Molly and pecked her on the cheek.  
  
"Hello Mrs. Weasley." Hermione grinned at the woman who had become like a second mother to her. "Taking advantage of the calm before the storm?"  
  
Molly rolled her eyes expressively. " I'm guessing that this is going to be the sanest moment I'll see until after the first. Remus and Ron are the only others here. Remus is upstairs taking a lie in and Ron's in the kitchen, pacing a rut in the floor for some unknown reason. Why don't you try and get him to sit down before I have to re-charm the pattern on the floor tiles?  
  
Hermione cocked her head in confusion. "He's alone in the kitchen? I saw him though the window and he looked like he was talking to someone."  
  
Molly arched a brow. "Himself. The boy's been jumpy as a cat since he woke up this morning. I'm thinking he's up to something but he won't talk about it." She smiled conspiratorially at Hermione. "Why don't you go wheedle it out of him and then report back to me?"  
  
Hermione sniggered and saluted Molly. "I won't come back without a full confession, General."  
  
Molly's shoulders shook with laughter. "You're dismissed, soldier. Good luck."  
  
******  
  
Ron Weasley was a nervous wreck. It was ridiculous really, when he thought about it. This was Hermione. He'd known her forever. Loved her for most of that time whether he knew it or not. Why was it so difficult to ask her one, little question?  
  
He sighed and ran his had over the lump in his pocket. He'd been trying to ask her for weeks and just hadn't been able to do it. He didn't think she would say no, precisely... Then again, he was never completely sure around her and she had always had the ability to surprise him at the oddest times.  
  
He heard his mother laughing with someone and froze as he recognized Hermione's voice. She was here. He took a deep breath and ran a hand though his short, red hair again. This was it.  
  
He watched as she walked in the kitchen and smiled at him. His heart squeezed at the site of her and her smile. Gods, he loved this woman. He felt himself steady. He could do this.  
  
He met her in the middle of the kitchen and wrapped his arms around her, breathing in her familiar sent. The contentment that he always felt when he held her like this settled in on him and he knew that he wanted this for the rest of his life. He looked down at her and smiled.  
  
"Hey, sweetheart."  
  
She looped her arms around his neck and reached up for a kiss. Breaking off several breathless minutes later, she grinned at him.  
  
"Hey yourself, handsome"  
  
Ron returned her grin but felt the now familiar knot of tension grab his throat. How was he going to do this?  
  
She cocked a brow at his silence but raised a box in front of him and lightly shook it. "I have something for you and I don't think I can wait until tomorrow for you to open it." She batted her eyelashes at him teasingly. "Think you can handle that?"  
  
Ron laughed. "I think I might be able to cope with opening and early present from you." He looked at the package and noticed the wrapping paper. "Isn't this the wrapping paper from Gred and Feorges' store?  
  
Hermione's smile turned mischievous. "Yes, it is. I had them make it for me special."  
  
Ron sat down at one of the kitchen chairs and looked at the package dubiously. "Should I put an apron on before I open it up? I just changed into this dress shirt for mum.  
  
Hermione laughed. "No darling, you're safe from exploding packages for at least another few hours until the twins get here."  
  
Ron sniggered at this and peeled the paper and ribbon off of the long, rectangular box. Opening the lid, he found a long, fluffy white quill with a beautifully carved wooden handle and nib. He lifted it up and saw that there were two, small buttons on the side of the wood. He looked at Hermione curiously.  
  
"What kind of quill is this?"  
  
Hermione was practically bouncing on her chair. "It's called the Sugar Quill Deluxe! Press the gold button, tell it the flavor of your choice and suck. There are fifty different flavors charmed into it and it's refillable. The twins have already patented the refillable charm, of course."  
  
Hermione paused and watched as he asked for butterscotch. He tentatively sucked on the nib and raised his brows in pleased surprise as the rich, buttery flavor hit his tongue. "This is good!"  
  
She laughed in delight. "It also has another feature, which I'm betting you'll appreciate."  
  
She pointed at the black button on the handle. "Press that and it turns into a regular, self inking quill."  
  
She winked at him "I'm sure that it'll come in quite handy at work."  
  
Ron felt his ears turn pink as he remembered the time Professor Snape had been breathing down his neck while he had tried to take notes with a Sugar Quill. That had earned him a stupendously nasty detention.  
  
Hermione leaned in excitedly. "Try it out. Here, use some of the wrapping paper."  
  
Ron took the scrap of paper from her hand and pushed the black button on the Quill. He paused for a moment, trying to figure out what to write and then looked up at Hermione. Her eyes were shining at him and her wild hair was a mass of ringlets around her head and shoulders. He had never seen anything so beautiful in his entire life. He took a deep breath, cupped his hand around the piece of paper and wrote two sentences. He looked at what he had written for a moment and then picked up the paper and handed it to Hermione with a shaking hand.  
  
She took the paper from him with a smile and then looked down at it. He watched her catch her breath as she read it and he felt his heart pounding in his chest. She looked up at him and there were tears in her eyes.  
  
Everything paused.  
  
"Yes" she said simply.  
  
Ron let go of the breath he didn't realize that he'd been holding and dragged Hermione out of her chair and into his lap. She was crying. He smoothed the hair out of her face and kissed her for all he was worth. She had said yes.  
  
Finally coming up for air, Ron tenderly brushed the tears from her cheeks as Hermione bent her head and rested her forehead on his.  
  
"I love you, Ron," she whispered softly.  
  
He pulled her closer to him and smiled up at her. "Forever?"  
  
She laughed and leaned in for another kiss. "Forever."  
  
*****  
  
Molly looked at the clock again and glanced over at the kitchen door. They'd been in there for over a half hour and she hadn't heard a peep from them in a good fifteen minutes. She had a fair idea of what they might be up to but the rest of the family would be home in no time. She decided to interrupt their little reunion before it got out of hand and possibly embarrassing. Getting up from her chair, she quietly knocked on the door but didn't hear a response. Curious, she opened the door and peeked inside. Sure enough, Hermione was sitting on Ron's lap and they were totally lost in a kiss. Molly was about to gently clear her throat to get their attention when she noticed a small piece of paper on the kitchen table with two sentences written on it.  
  
I love you Hermione.  
  
Will you marry me?  
  
She lifted a hand to stifle a gasp. Oh my! Looking over at Ron, she felt tears flood her eyes. Oh, Ron! Her baby boy was getting married. There was little doubt in Molly's mind as to Hermione's answer and she smiled mistily at the pair for a moment and then quietly walked out of the kitchen. She sat back down in her chair and sighed happily. The war was over, the whole family would be together tomorrow for Christmas, and now there was a wedding to plan for. The upcoming year certainly promised to be a bright one.  
  
  
  
Fin – Yes, this is actually the end. Perhaps I'll write a continuation for next Christmas. This time, I suppose I should try to finish it before the 25th of December. :D 


End file.
